10 Wrestling Facts We Didn't Know Last Week (March 8)
7. The One Tiny Detail That Sold Vince McMahon On Jerry Lawler
Master heel Jerry Lawler was already a wrestling legend by the time he joined the WWF in 1992 as a commentator/occasional wrestler. By '93, his feud with Bret Hart was a marriage of convenience; new 'King Of The Ring' Hart vs. 'King' Lawler was as natural a rivalry as the company had back then.
After it, Jerry was supposed to slink back behind the announce desk for good. Then, SummerSlam happened.
There, Lawler feigned injury, enlisted Doink The Clown to wrestle Bret and then took quite the beating from a fired-up 'Hitman'. On his way out, Jerry raised just one finger in an act of defiance, immediately letting fans know that he'd still technically won due to Hart's DQ. Backstage, Vince McMahon was loving every second.
Bruce Prichard said on 'Something To Wrestle With' that Vince knew right then he had a crafty heel he could rely on for sporadic feuds. McMahon slapped Bruce on the chest and admired Lawler's subtle audacity to act like he'd come out on top.